Ananda Puraskar
2 appearances
-
Edition 40 (1992) Winner
-
Edition 55 (2000) Winner
Taslima Nasrin
タスリマ・ナスリン
Taslima Nasrin
Aliases:
Taslima Nasreen
Pen Names:
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1962-08-25 （Mymensingh, East Pakistan）
- Nationality
- Bangladeshi, Swedish
- Languages
- Bengali, English
- Religion
- Atheism (born into a Muslim family)
- Residence History
- Bangladesh (Mymensingh, Dhaka) → Sweden (exile, granted citizenship) → India (Kolkata, New Delhi, Jaipur — long-term residence/visa) → United States (temporary relocation)
Career
- Occupations
- Author, Physician (former), Activist, Feminist, Secular humanist
- Active Years
- 1973-
- Affiliations
- Reporters Without Borders (Emeritus Board)
- Memberships
- Reporters Without Borders (Emeritus Board)
- Influenced By
- Virginia Woolf, Simone de Beauvoir, Begum Rokeya
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mymensingh Medical College | — | Faculty of Medicine | MBBS | 1978–1984 | Bangladesh |
Mymensingh Medical College
Faculty of Medicine
Degree:
MBBS
Period:
1978–1984
Year of Graduation:
1984
Country:
Bangladesh
Obtained MBBS from an affiliated medical college of the University of Dhaka
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Ananda Puraskar | Nirbachito Column (Selected Columns) | — | Ananda (West Bengal) | 受賞 |
| 2000 | Ananda Puraskar | Amar Meyebela (My Bengali Girlhood) | — | Ananda (West Bengal) | 受賞 |
| 1994 | Sakharov Prize | — | — | European Parliament | 受賞 |
| 2008 | Simone de Beauvoir Prize | For her writings and work on women's rights | — | Simone de Beauvoir Prize | 受賞（本人はパリでの授賞式に出席せず） |
| 2004 | UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize | For promotion of tolerance and non-violence | — | UNESCO | 受賞 |
| 1995 | Honorary Doctorate (Ghent University) | — | — | Ghent University | 授与 |
| 2002 | Freethought Heroine Award | — | — | Freedom From Religion Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2025 | Lifetime Achievement Award (esSENSE Global) | — | — | esSENSE Global | 受賞 |
Ananda Puraskar
1992
Work:
Nirbachito Column (Selected Columns)
Organization:
Ananda (West Bengal)
Result:
受賞
Ananda Puraskar
2000
Work:
Amar Meyebela (My Bengali Girlhood)
Organization:
Ananda (West Bengal)
Result:
受賞
Sakharov Prize
1994
Organization:
European Parliament
Result:
受賞
Simone de Beauvoir Prize
2008
Work:
For her writings and work on women's rights
Organization:
Simone de Beauvoir Prize
Result:
受賞（本人はパリでの授賞式に出席せず）
UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize
2004
Work:
For promotion of tolerance and non-violence
Organization:
UNESCO
Result:
受賞
Honorary Doctorate (Ghent University)
1995
Organization:
Ghent University
Result:
授与
Freethought Heroine Award
2002
Organization:
Freedom From Religion Foundation
Result:
受賞
Lifetime Achievement Award (esSENSE Global)
2025
Organization:
esSENSE Global
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Lajja (Shame)
1993 Novel (documentary novel)A documentary-style novel depicting a Hindu family's persecution by Muslim fanatics; it addresses communal violence and social exclusion. It was banned in Bangladesh after publication.
Religion and violenceWomen's rightsSocial exclusion
Translations
- English translation: Shame
Amar Meyebela / My Bengali Girlhood
1997 Autobiography / MemoirAutobiographical account from childhood to adolescence, describing religion, social customs and early experiences. Some volumes were banned in Bangladesh.
Coming of ageAbuse and oppression of womenSocial critique
Translations
- English translation: My Bengali Girlhood
Forashi Premik / French Lover
2002 NovelA novel dealing with intercultural and personal relationships.
LoveCross-cultural encounters
Bibliography
- Shikore Bipul Khudha (Hunger in the Roots) (1982)
- Nirbashito Bahire Ontore (Banished Without and Within) (1989)
- Lajja (Shame) (1993)
- Amar Meyebela (My Bengali Girlhood) (1997)
- Forashi Premik (French Lover) (2002)
Adaptations
- Jhumur - TV serial (2006)
- The Cry - adaptation of her poetry to music by Steve Lacy (world premiere: Berlin, 1996)
Translations of Works
- Lajja → English translation: Shame
- Amar Meyebela → English translation: My Bengali Girlhood
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Direct and provocative voiceFeminist perspectiveAutobiographical elements mixed with social critique
- Recurring Motifs
- Oppression of womenExile and alienationCritique of religion and secularism
Legacy
Known internationally for her writings and activism on feminism and freedom of expression. Several works were banned in Bangladesh/West Bengal and she has lived in exile and faced death threats, while receiving numerous international awards and honorary positions.
Academic Societies
- International Humanist and Ethical Union (association)
In Popular Culture
- Songs and tributes (e.g. Magoria's 'Goddess in you, Taslima', Zebda's 'Don't worry, Taslima')
- Musical adaptation of her poetry (Steve Lacy's 'The Cry')
Quotes
-
Do you really think a God who created the universe, billions of galaxies, stars, billions of planets — would promise to reward some little things in a pale blue dot (i.e Earth) for repeatedly saying that he is the greatest and kindest and for fasting? Such a great creator can't be so narcissist!
Source: Social media (tweet) (2018)
Trivia
- Several of her books were banned in Bangladesh and West Bengal.
- Has faced fatwas and death threats since the 1990s and has lived much of her life in exile.
- Pledged her body for posthumous medical use to an Indian NGO.